Man arrested in Saline after ATM robbery attempt suspected in 2 earlier cases
Police said they arrested a man Monday night as he was planning to rob a customer at an ATM at United Bank and Trust in Saline. And investigators believe the same man is responsible for two robberies over the weekend at ATMs in Pittsfield Township.
Saline police arrested the 30-year-old Saline Township man after responding to United Bank and Trust on North Maple Road about 7:30 p.m. Monday. Police had received a credible tip that prompted them to go to the bank. As an officer approached the man, he ran, dropping a silver and black colored BB pistol, Pittsfield Township Deputy Police Chief Gordy Schick said.
Schick said the man got into a relative's car and was later arrested. The relative was not involved in the plan, Schick said. Investigators believe the BB pistol that was recovered was used in the two robberies in Pittsfield Township over the weekend.
About 7:30 p.m. Sunday, a 36-year-old Lansing man was robbed at gunpoint while in his car at the Chase Bank ATM at 4101 Ellsworth Road. On Saturday, a 22-year-old York Township man was in his car when he was robbed at gunpoint at the Chase Bank ATM at 6957 East Michigan Ave.
The man arrested Monday is being held at the Washtenaw County Jail. Charges are pending.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
OLDTIMER3
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 : 1:48 p.m.
I would hope they investigate the driver/relative also. Hard to believehe or she wasn't involved.
RJA
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 11:45 p.m.
Great job, and Well done by Pittsfield and Saline Police Officers. I read this as (the suspect got into a relative's car) and the owner was not in the car. This makes it less likely that the relative was involved in the plan. The suspect is spending, and charges are pending. Lets wait now, for all to go through the washer and ringer.
Jen Eyer
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 2:49 p.m.
Comments that speculate on this particular suspect's motives have been blocked. Hypothetical statements are OK.
Ron Granger
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 1:59 p.m.
I wonder if detectives were watching this guy (after the probable license plate tip) and if the "credible tip" came from them? I'm sure we'll find out eventually. And the BB pistol.. My understanding is that it counts as a real gun when it comes to the "armed" part of armed robbery. It's great that this has ended without violence - for the victims and also the alleged perp (who was lucky he wasn't shot by a victim).
A2Since97
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 1:44 p.m.
Lee - I see that you've rewritten the first few paragraphs, since the story was posted at 7:16 AM. That's great; more information available. In your rewrite, why did you leave out the part that detectives from Pittsfield Twp PD had been working on the case? It appears other commenters saw the same article I did, before your rewrite. Just trying to give both Saline and Pittsfield Twp Police Departments the support they both deserve! Thanks!
Ron Granger
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 1:14 p.m.
It'd be interesting to hear the story of how they got him. It was only a matter of time, the way the suspect was behaving (repeat, same M-O, same general area). The report mentions detectives, so maybe it was a good ole style stake out - you know, like Dirty Harry, where Callahan is eating the chili dog and asks the guy to hold it while he dispenses justice.. Plus, it's likely they had a license plate from the last robbery. Good work! I look forward to seeing the suspect photo's when he is charged. The gold SUV too. We want to see that ugly thing! Multiple armed robberies should be a serious sentence. And who wants to bet how many priors the alleged perp has?
A2Since97
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 1:47 p.m.
labtech: In the previous article, it stated the victim followed the alleged suspect, who had a gold SUV. (Ron expressed his lack of fondness for gold SUV's in that article's comment section)
labtech
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 1:33 p.m.
Where does it say that he was in a "gold SUV"???
A2Since97
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 12:58 p.m.
Kudos to Pittsfield Twp PD! Take note A2 City Council...Can you see that having a fully-staffed public safety department pays off??? Pittsfield Twp is maintaining the public safety department, including no layoffs from police or fire departments. That's what 72% of voters told them they wanted in their vote on May 3. (Millage increase takes effect 2012 - 2021) Why should Ann Arbor keep cutting our police and fire department, when crime is obviously on the increase?
mojo
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 3:29 p.m.
Odd how they re-write a story - I am glad the cops caught him.
A2Since97
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 3:13 p.m.
Mojo: Thanks, I saw that Saline Police made the arrest. Lee rewrote the article since myself and several others read it earlier this AM. Information about Pittsfield Twp detectives working the case was left out of the rewrite...The story is much different now.
mojo
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 2:36 p.m.
"Saline Police" made the arrest.
Urban Sombrero
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.
Awesome. This is great news. Though, I agree with KJMClark---I hope they got the right guy. Still, bravo to the police. Good work!
SalineDoe
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 12:24 p.m.
THIS is why Pittsfield's police department is so highly respected and why residents continue to support them!! Great work Pittsfield PD!
A2Since97
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 1:52 p.m.
@labtech Lee rewrote the article, and SalineDoe read the same story I did. Pittsfield Twp Police detectives were working on the case since the first two weekend robberies. The rewrite excludes that information.
labtech
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.
I thought Saline Police arrested the guy, not Pittsfield???
KJMClark
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 12:11 p.m.
That was fast. I hope they got the right person.
cinnabar7071
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 12:05 p.m.
Law enforcement deserves a big pat on the back for catching this guy so fast.
Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 11:36 a.m.
If the person the Pokice arrested is found to be involved with the previous mentioned robberies, I would immediately suspect an addiction is fueling this type of crime spree. One would not be using their brains to attempt to pull off another robbery at about the same time in the same general area three days in a row. Once yeah, he may have gotten away with it. The second time just according to the reports he already set a pattern. Somehow I believe the Police in the area were on full alert for something like this to take place again as darkness came upon last night. Let me guess it was the drive up ATM machine just west of Ann Arbor Road on Michigan Avenue?
Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 2:22 p.m.
I apoligize YpsiLivin for taking a guess. The story has been updated since I took that guess. EXCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME.
YpsiLivin
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 1:56 p.m.
"Let me guess it was the drive up ATM machine just west of Ann Arbor Road on Michigan Avenue?" You don't need to guess. The story says it was the United Bank and Trust on North Maple Road. What does Michigan Avenue have to do with this?
Mr. Ed
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 1:45 p.m.
The addiction probable started with marijuana.